Patent Application
20200376883
The present invention is generally related to methods and apparatus for covering, protecting, reducing exposure, concealing personal, private, nonpublic, confidential, secret, and other information.
Notaries Public, for example, provide notarial and authentication services to the general public and in numerous industries such as banking, real estate closings, employment, and other industries requiring verification of identity and signature witnessing. Generally, a Notary Public (also referred to as a “Notary” or “public Notary”) is a public officer constituted by law to serve the public in non-contentious matters usually concerned with estates, deeds, powers-of-attorney, and foreign and international business. A Notary Public's main functions are to serve the public as an impartial witness in performing a variety of official acts related to transactions and signing of important documents such as which grant powers of attorney, convey interest in real estate, and other documents. A Notary's duty is to screen a signer's identity, their signing without duress or intimidation, and their awareness of the transaction or contents of the document being signed. The Notary may administer oaths and affirmations, take affidavits, and statutory declarations, witness and authenticate the execution of certain classes of documents, such as, for example, take acknowledgments of deeds and other conveyances, protest notes and bills of exchange, provide notice of foreign drafts, prepare marine or ship's protests in cases of damage, provide exemplifications and notarial copies, and perform certain other official acts depending on the jurisdiction. Any such act is known as a notarization or a notarial act.
Typically, there are multiple methods of identification presented to a Notary Public and extensive titles of documents a Notary Public records. Recording such data and information can be time consuming as documents, acts, and services must be substantially written in a Notary journal. For example, some Notary journals have record entries containing a box that can be quickly checked for an Acknowledgement or Oath but do not contain a box to quickly check the type of identification method presented by a signer/affiant, such as driver's license, tribal card, or credible witness, or for quickly checking a box for a specific title of the type of document being notarized, such as a Power of Attorney, bill of sale, contract, last will and testament, etc., or have an acronym reference list which can assist a Notary Public to record such more quickly. Additionally, for the purposes of signature authentication, a Notary Public verifies a signature of a signer/affiant with a signature on the identification method presented to a Notary Public by a signer/affiant before a document can be officially notarized, recorded, and/or have legal effect. In many states and countries, a citizen utilizing the services of a Notary Public sign within a record of a Notary Public's journal (also referred to as book, logbook, book of notarial acts, journal of notarial acts, or record book). The Notary Public must be reasonably satisfied that the identification presented is authentic, valid, unexpired, and matches the signer/affiant. That determination may be made by multiple methods including comparing and/or matching a signer/affiant's signature made in a Notary Public's journal, with and/or against the identification presented by a signer/affiant; by visual inspection of physical data, photograph, and signatures shown on an identification method presented by a signer/affiant; by the physical appearance; by comparing and/or matching relevant information and/or signatures on other documents and records; by usage of credible witnesses; and other law-regulated or best practice guidelines and procedures.
Historically, a Notary journal consists of a bound book. The type of Notary journal may be governed by state laws but generally must be well-bound. The term well-bound, is not generally specific, however, when referring to a Notary journal, it is oftentimes assumed in reference to prevent fraud, tampering with the contents of a journal, and having journal and content integrity, generally meaning the condition of being unified, unimpaired, or of sound construction and the state of being whole and undivided. Often, notarial acts and events are recorded in a Notary journal in exact numerical and sequential order. The bound book includes line item information records for data entry that contain, for example, information regarding the type of document notarized, a signer/affiant, a place for a signer/affiant's signature. Data entered regarding a signer/affiant may include personal, private, NonPublic Personal Information (NPPI or NPI) such as their name, address, driver's license number, date of birth, fingerprint, etc. Information specific to a signer/affiant may also include the nature of a signed or notarized document which may reveal private, personal, confidential, nonpublic, intellectual property, or secret information. A Notary Public enters signer/affiant information into a Notary journal and upon examination and verification of the identification presented for authenticity and accuracy of identity, a Notary Public may then turn a Notary journal and present it to the signer/affiant for their signature and/or fingerprint (generally a thumbprint).
Typically, a bound book may contain any number of pages. Notary Journals, for example may contain about 30-150 pages with each page including up to eight to eighteen information records. A Notary journal is not configured to keep private information from the view of others or subsequent signers/affiants. When open, the bound book may reveal approximately seven to seventeen records containing private information. For example, a signer/affiant that places their signature or fingerprint for identification verification on line seven of a book is able to see information records for the previous six signers/affiants, and a signer/affiant on line 14 is able to view information records for the previous 13 signer/affiants. Thus, NPPI and other signer/affiant information is exposed.
Notaries, for example are professionals and generally state commissioned officials who are guided by standards, principals, and/or laws that include protecting private, nonpublic, personal information. This includes concealing information and prior signer/affiant information already entered in a journal from the general public, current signer/affiants, clients, or others, and while a journal is in view, in usage, being viewed or reviewed, during data entry, and when verifying the identification of a signer/affiant, and/or presenting a journal for a signature or fingerprint for authentication.
Thus, Notaries Public have used Notary journals with such binding systems and methods as library binding, edition binding, publisher binding, standard binding, Smyth-sewn binding, glued binding, and other similar bindings, which do not generally lay flat when open, do not allow pages to substantially turn through 360 degrees, do not conceal information records or data regarding a title or contents of a Notary journal.
Notaries Public have attempted to conceal NPPI in such bound journals using a sheet of paper or with a folder as in U.S. Pat. No. 7,946,552B1 which is a type of substantially opaque privacy folder sleeve which can be slid or placed around a page to cover any portion of a page to prevent others and/or subsequent signer/affiant's from viewing data records, a previous signer/affiant's NPPI, and/or committing identity theft. A disadvantage of this type of covering device is that such device is oftentimes moved out of the way by a signer/affiant, inadvertently, and/or purposefully when signing the Notary Journal. Also, a Notary Journal will generally not lay flat when open due to a natural curvature of the bookbinding spine which can further complicate the use of the folder sleeve. Another disadvantage of such covering device is that the device may not stay where placed, if bumped, when moving the Notary Journal about, or when presenting the book to a signer/affiant to receive their signature, fingerprint, or for other reasons. A sheet of paper or folder tends to shift when a Notary turns and presents a Notary Journal to a signer/affiant for their signature and/or fingerprint. Additionally, many current Notary Journals can contain NPPI record sections for a single record on two facing pages of a journal which may require concealment of NPPI on two pages, simultaneously. In such Notary journals, the possibility of NPPI exposure can double and be twice as challenging to conceal. The sheet of paper or folder sleeve concealment approach may leave NPPI of prior signer/affiants exposed.
Notaries are not the only people, profession, or industry that seeks to conceal or protect private, personal, and/or nonpublic information, along with security or integrity features. For example, hospitals and medical offices seek to comply with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA) requirements, and scientists, accountants, corporations, businesses, government agencies, and others seek to reduce visibility of documents, records, data, private and/or NPPI such as medical information, records, log books, accounting ledgers, business journals, books, scientific records, top-secret documents, records, and data, and similar data or information from exposure or undesired or unauthorized exposure.
Generally, current systems and methods for binding a plurality of papers, stack of papers, sheets, leaves, pages, covers, books, notebooks, documents, or other stationery (collectively referred to as papers) for example, can restrict or limit function, usability, privacy, or maneuverability, and/or not provide labeling concealment. Current stacks of papers for example, a book, notebook, data record, journal, accounting ledger, business journal, blank book, log or log book, scientific record, guest book, manifold book, day book, diary, portfolio, data record, Notary Public journal, Notary Public log book, Notary Public record book, government record, or medical record, file, document, form, or other stationery (collectively referred to as books) are not designed to conceal content data.
Thus, solutions are needed to solve these problems.
The aforementioned problems and other problems are reduced by methods and apparatus for providing covering, protecting, reducing exposure, and concealing personal, private, nonpublic information, intellectual property, confidential, or secret information while in view, recording, viewing, entering data, or using in accordance with the present invention.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the method uses a covering device for releasably covering, protecting, reducing exposure and concealing personal, private, nonpublic, confidential, and secret information on a page including a plurality of magnetic repositionable strips and a magnetic repositionable sheet and wherein the magnetic repositionable strips are sized to adhere to and cover personal, private, and nonpublic information and the magnetic repositionable sheet is at least sized to adhere to the plurality of magnetic repositionable strips.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the method and apparatus comprises a covering device for releasably covering, protecting, reducing exposure and concealing personal, private, nonpublic, confidential, and secret information on a page including a plurality of magnetic repositionable strips and a magnetic repositionable sheet, and a connecting component configured to connect the magnetic repositionable strips to the magnetic repositionable sheet, and wherein the magnetic repositionable strips are sized to adhere to and cover personal, private, and nonpublic information and the magnetic repositionable sheet is at least sized to adhere to the plurality of magnetic repositionable strips.
In another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the method and apparatus comprises a covering device for releasably covering, protecting, reducing exposure and concealing personal, private, nonpublic, confidential, and secret information on a page including a plurality of repositionable strips magnetized on a first side and a second side forming double magnetized repositionable strips and a sheet magnetized on a first side and a second side of the sheet forming a double magnetized sheet with both sides of the double magnetized sheet are configured to receive and releasably adhere to both sides of the double magnetized repositionable strips, wherein the double magnetized repositionable strips are sized to adhere to and cover the personal, private, and nonpublic information.
In another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the method and apparatus comprises a covering device for releasably covering, protecting, reducing exposure and concealing personal, private, nonpublic, confidential, and secret information on a page including a plurality of repositionable strips magnetized on a first side and a second side forming double magnetized repositionable strips and a sheet magnetized on a first side and a second side of the sheet forming a double magnetized sheet with both sides of the double magnetized sheet are configured to receive and releasably adhere to both sides of the double magnetized repositionable strips, and a connecting component configured to connect the double magnetized sheet to the double magnetized repositionable strips, wherein the double magnetized repositionable strips are sized to adhere to and cover the personal, private, and nonpublic information.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the method and apparatus comprises a covering device for providing security for, reducing exposure, covering, protecting, reducing exposure and concealing personal, private, nonpublic, confidential, and secret information comprising a folder sleeve having a first face and a second face, the first face having a substantially opaque exterior side and an interior side having at least one magnetic component or border and the second face having an interior side having at least one magnetic interior component or border, and wherein the first face and the second face forming the folder sleeve such that the folder sleeve can secure the contents of the folder or can slip over two sides and a corner of a page and releasably magnetically join the magnetic components or border edges to secure the folder sleeve where positioned.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the method and apparatus comprises a covering device for releasably providing security for, covering, protecting, reducing exposure and concealing personal, private, nonpublic, confidential, and secret information including at least one substantially opaque, releasable, repositionable adhesive strips having a first edge and at least one non-adhesive handling tabs configured to extend from the first edge of the substantially opaque repositionable adhesive strip, wherein the substantially opaque repositionable adhesive strip is configured to cover personal, private, nonpublic information and configured for repositioning.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the method and apparatus comprises a covering device for releasably covering, protecting, reducing exposure and concealing personal, private, nonpublic, confidential, and secret information including a plurality of magnetic repositionable strips and a magnetic repositionable sheet and wherein the magnetic repositionable strips are sized to adhere to and cover personal, private, and nonpublic information and the magnetic repositionable sheet is at least sized to adhere to the plurality of magnetic repositionable strips.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the method and apparatus comprises a covering device for releasably covering, protecting, reducing exposure and concealing personal, private, nonpublic, confidential, and secret information including a plurality of magnetic repositionable strips and a magnetic repositionable sheet, and a connecting component configured to connect the magnetic repositionable strips to the magnetic repositionable sheet, and wherein the magnetic repositionable strips are sized to adhere to and cover personal, private, and nonpublic information and the magnetic repositionable sheet is at least sized to adhere to the plurality of magnetic repositionable strips.
In another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the method and apparatus comprises a covering device for releasably covering, protecting, reducing exposure and concealing personal, private, nonpublic, confidential, and secret information including a plurality of repositionable strips magnetized on a first side and a second side forming double magnetized repositionable strips and a sheet magnetized on a first side and a second side of the sheet forming a double magnetized sheet with both sides of the double magnetized sheet are configured to receive and releasably adhere to both sides of the double magnetized repositionable strips, wherein the double magnetized repositionable strips are sized to adhere to and cover the personal, private, and nonpublic information.
In another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the method and apparatus comprises a covering device for releasably covering, protecting, reducing exposure and concealing personal, private, nonpublic, confidential, and secret information including a plurality of repositionable strips magnetized on a first side and a second side forming double magnetized repositionable strips and a sheet magnetized on a first side and a second side of the sheet forming a double magnetized sheet with both sides of the double magnetized sheet are configured to receive and releasably adhere to both sides of the double magnetized repositionable strips, and a connecting component configured to connect the double magnetized sheet to the double magnetized repositionable strips, wherein the double magnetized repositionable strips are sized to adhere to and cover the personal, private, and nonpublic information.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the method and apparatus comprises a covering device for providing security for, reducing exposure, covering, protecting, reducing exposure and concealing personal, private, nonpublic, confidential, and secret information comprising a folder sleeve having a first face and a second face, the first face having a substantially opaque exterior side and an interior side having at least one magnetic component or border and the second face having an interior side having at least one magnetic interior component or border, and wherein the first face and the second face forming the folder sleeve such that the folder sleeve can secure the contents of the folder or can slip over two sides and a corner of a page and releasably magnetically join the magnetic components or border edges to secure the folder sleeve where positioned.
With another embodiment of the invention is a method and apparatus for providing security for, evidence of tampering, and covering, protecting, reducing exposure and concealing personal, private, nonpublic, confidential, and secret information comprising a binding device configured to connect, secure, and bind the covering devices such that the connected covering device can substantially rotate 360 degrees and can fold back upon itself and lie flat when open, a covering device configured to cover the personal, private and nonpublic information, can include a tamper-evident device such as an indicative seal, barrier seal, security seal, security sticker, plastic seal, metal seal, adjustable length seal, banking seal, fixed seal, bolt seal, screw seal, security ring, locking seal, padlock seal, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, electronic IDdentification (eID) tag, microchip tag, Unique Identifier (UID) tag, Personal Identifier (PID) tag, transponder, and digital identifier (collectively referred to as a security seal) inserted in at least one combining hole, or attached to at least one combining loop.
With another embodiment of the invention is a method and apparatus for providing security for, evidence of tampering, and covering, protecting, reducing exposure and concealing personal, private, nonpublic, confidential, and secret information comprising a binding device configured to connect, secure, and bind the covering devices such that the connected covering device can substantially rotate 360 degrees and can fold back upon itself and lie flat when open, a covering device configured to cover the personal, private and nonpublic information, can include a tamper-evident device such as an indicative seal, barrier seal, security seal, security sticker, plastic seal, metal seal, adjustable length seal, banking seal, fixed seal, bolt seal, screw seal, security ring, locking seal, padlock seal, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, electronic IDdentification (eID) tag, microchip tag, Unique Identifier (UID) tag, Personal Identifier (PID) tag, transponder, and digital identifier (collectively referred to as a security seal) inserted or attached to the connecting binding spine.
With another embodiment of the invention is a method and apparatus for providing security for, evidence of tampering, and covering, protecting, reducing exposure and concealing personal, private, nonpublic, confidential, and secret information comprising a binding device configured to connect, secure, and bind the covering devices such that the connected covering device can substantially rotate 360 degrees and can fold back upon itself and lie flat when open, a covering device configured to cover the personal, private and nonpublic information, can include a tamper-evident device such as an indicative seal, barrier seal, security seal, security sticker, plastic seal, metal seal, adjustable length seal, banking seal, fixed seal, bolt seal, screw seal, security ring, locking seal, padlock seal, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, electronic IDdentification (eID) tag, microchip tag, Unique Identifier (UID) tag, Personal Identifier (PID) tag, transponder, and digital identifier (collectively referred to as a security seal) inserted or attached to any part of the covering device.
The invention will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which:
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for covering, protecting, reducing exposure and concealing personal, private, nonpublic, confidential, and secret information in view, viewing, using, data entry, and/or recording information, such as, for example personal information.
In
In an embodiment, records 122 are configured to include headings that describe each section of the information or record 122 and space for required information, signature, or other information. The record 122 may include information, identification, signatures, fingerprint, or other information record 120.
In an embodiment, the book 110 includes a plurality of information records 120 on the first side 114 of the book 110 and an associated plurality of private, personal, confidential, nonpublic, intellectual property, or secret information, identity, and/or signature authentication records 122 for a single record on the second side 116 of the book 110.
In alternative embodiments, a tamper-evident security device comprises such as, for example, a security seal attached to the binding device 119 and/or through at least one combining hole 138 (not shown). In another alternative embodiment comprises a tamper-evident security features such as, for example, bar codes, or radio frequency identification tags (not shown) inserted, attached to or part of the magnetic covering device 112, magnetic strips 113 (
A covering device with a connector binding 118 may include one or more identifying information such as marks, letters, designs, numbers, sequential and/or random numbers, title, logo, and/or other identifiable components (also referred to as indicts) on the binding 118 (not shown) and which include an identifying label 101 (shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the covering device binding 119 is formed wherein it can rotate 360 degrees to fold back upon itself and lie flat when open. In an alternative embodiment the covering device includes tamper-evident security features (not shown). In an alternative embodiment, a tamper-evident security seal such as an indicative seal, barrier seal, security seal, security sticker, plastic seal, metal seal, adjustable length seal, banking seal, fixed seal, bolt seal, screw seal, security ring, locking seal, padlock seal, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, electronic IDdentification (eID) tag, microchip tag, Unique Identifier (UID) tag, Personal Identifier (PID) tag, transponder, and digital identifier, (collectively referred to as security seal) (not shown) is inserted through one or more combining holes 138 (
Preferably, the covering device 112 is double magnetized (magnetized on both sides of the material) such that the first side 130 is configured as double magnetized repositionable strips 113 and the second side 132 configured as a double magnetized sheet to attract the double magnetized repositionable strips 113 whereby the first side 130 remains in place and covers the second side 132 when the first side 130 is placed over the second side 132 yet the first side 130 is releasable on demand. Preferably, the double magnetized sheet and double magnetized strips are combined utilizing a spine binding device 119. In another preferred embodiment, the double magnetized sheet 132 and corresponding double magnetized strips are utilized to cover information and/or records containing private, personal, confidential, nonpublic, intellectual property, or secret information such as, for example, a book title, newspaper title and/or article, magazine title or cover, page, note, material, notebook, file, form, accounting ledger, business journal, blank book, log, scientific record, guest book, sign-in sheet, record sheet, sign, billboard, easel paper, poster, book, general office stationery, manifold book, day book, diary, portfolio, or other stationary, etc. In an embodiment, the double-magnetized covering device comprises a magnetic sheet material, without vinyl and/or paper coating and, a plurality of magnetic sheet strips constructed of magnetic material, without vinyl and/or paper coating. In yet another preferred embodiment, the magnetic covering device 112 comprises a substantially opaque covering device. In an embodiment, the double magnetized sheet is configured as a full standard letter size sheet in a portrait orientation with corresponding double magnetized strips. In an alternative embodiment, the double magnetized sheet is configured as a full standard letter size sheet in a landscape orientation with corresponding double magnetized strips. In another embodiment, the double magnetized sheet is configured as a standard legal-size sheet in a landscape orientation with corresponding double magnetized strips.
In another embodiment, the double magnetized sheet is configured in a landscape or portrait orientation in any size with corresponding double magnetized strips. In a landscape orientation, the covering device 112 covers a book 110 in an open position and a sheet size of approximately 6″×22″ with the first side 130 measuring 6″×11″ and the second side 132 measuring 6″×11.″ In an embodiment, the first side 130 include eight magnetic or double magnetized repositionable strips 113 with each magnetic repositionable strip 113 measuring approximately 10/16″×10 11/16″ with a distance between each magnetic repositionable strip 113 of approximately 2 mm. In the alternative embodiment where the covering device 112 comprises a single sheet adapted to fold in the center, an allowance for center bend is approximately 3 mm. In an embodiment, the magnetized covering device 112 has a portrait orientation for covering information. In a portrait orientation with the book 110 in an open position the covering device 112 comprises a sheet size of approximately 8″×11″ with the first side 130 measuring 8″×11″ and the second side 132 measuring 8″×11.″ In further embodiments, the magnetized covering device 112 may be single-side magnetized, double magnetized (magnetized on both sides), and may have any size and orientation (such as landscape) to cover information and/or cover information or embodiment on the book 110 or in an open or closed position according to the viewer or user's preference.
As shown in
In an alternative embodiment, the double magnetized covering device 112 is configured to include one or more accessible handling tabs (not shown), which can be attached to, or a component of the double magnetized sheet or strip 132, 113, which can be placed, attached, or part of a double magnetized sheet or strip 132, 113, which can be in a horizontal, vertical, or other orientation.
In yet another alternative embodiment, the magnetized covering device 112 can be configured as a one-piece magnetic folder (also referred to as a sleeve) (not shown) covering device having at least two releasably connected substantially opaque sides and configured in a plurality of shapes, sizes, and materials, such that the magnetic folder covering device can be placed over any portion of or completely around or over one or more pages and magnetically adhere to its opposing side. The magnetic folder covering device may include a magnetic strip, component, or border, and can have one or more accessible handling tabs, which can be attached to or are a component of the magnetic folder and/or magnetic strip and placed at one or both ends of the magnetic folder, strip, or a top or bottom of the magnetic folder or strip.
Another advantage of the present invention is a covering device can have an identification label that can expose the title or nature of the contents, can be concealed within, and be used as a place marker.
Another advantage of the present invention, for example, for a book, bound plurality of papers, or journal, is that it reduces private, personal, confidential, nonpublic, intellectual property, or secret information exposure.
Another advantage of the present invention is the covering devices can be sized as preferred.
Still another advantage of the present invention is the inclusion of a tamper-evident security device and/or security seal such that the covering device, when connected with an unreleaseable binding device, cannot be removed without being tamper-evident. The tamperevident security device provides security enhancement and integrity to such covering device and can lay flat, or fold back.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is the covering devices cover information easily and affordably, generally remain in place until removed, are reusable, can be easy to use or carry, and can be custom sized or custom printed.
The present invention has been described above with reference to exemplary embodiments. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of this disclosure. The present invention may readily be implemented using configurations other than those described in the exemplary embodiments above. Therefore, these and other variations upon the exemplary embodiments are covered by the present invention.
This application is a divisional of pending U.S. Non Provisional application Ser. No. 16/668,749, filed Nov. 30, 2019; U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/757,722, filed Nov. 8, 2018 the entirety which is incorporated herein by this reference and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/899,154, filed Sep. 12, 2019, the entirety which is incorporated herein by this reference and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 16/888,734, filed May 5, 2020, the entirety which is incorporated herein by this reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62757722 | Nov 2018 | US | |
| 62899154 | Sep 2019 | US | |
| 62899154 | Sep 2019 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16668749 | Oct 2019 | US |
| Child | 16904425 | US | |
| Parent | 16888734 | May 2020 | US |
| Child | 16668749 | US |
